Scenes and Characters eBook

CHAPTER XII—­THE FEVER

’Jane borrowed maxims from a doubting school,
And took for truth the test of ridicule.’

The question of Jane’s confirmation was decided
in an unexpected manner; for the day after Mr. Mohun’s
conversation with his nephew she was attacked by a
headache and sore throat, spent a feverish night,
and in the morning was so unwell that a medical man
was sent for from Raynham. On his arrival he
pronounced that she was suffering from scarlet fever,
and Emily began to feel the approach of the same complaint.

Phyllis and Adeline were shut up in the drawing-room,
and a system of quarantine established, which was
happily brought to a conclusion by a note from Mrs.
Weston, who kindly begged that they might be sent to
her at Broomhill, and Mr. Mohun gladly availing himself
of the offer, the little girls set off, so well pleased
to make a visit alone, as almost to forget the occasion
of it. Mrs. Weston had extended her invitation
to Lilias, but she begged to be allowed to remain with
her sisters, and Mr. Mohun thought that she had been
already so much exposed to the infection that it was
useless for her to take any precautions.

She was therefore declared head nurse; and it was
well that she had an energetic spirit, and so sweet
a temper, that she was ready to sympathise with all
Emily’s petulant complaints, and even to find
fault with herself for not being in two places at once.
Two of the maids were ill, and the whole care of
Emily and Jane devolved upon her, with only the assistance
of Esther.

Emily was not very seriously ill, but Jane’s
fever was very high, and Lily thought that her father
was more anxious than he chose to appear. Of
Jane’s own thoughts little could be guessed;
she was often delirious, and at all times speaking
was so painful that she said as little as possible.

Lily’s troubles seemed at their height one Sunday
afternoon, while her father was at church. She
had been reading the Psalms and Lessons to Emily,
and she then rose to return to Jane.

‘Do not go,’ entreated Emily.

‘I will send Esther.’

‘Esther is of no use.’

’And therefore I do not like to leave her so
long alone with Jane. Pray spare me a little
smile.’

‘Then come back soon.’

Lily was glad to escape with no more objections.
She found Jane complaining of thirst, but to swallow
gave her great pain, and she required so much attendance
for some little time, that Emily’s bell was
twice rung before Esther could be spared to go to her.